


so let's start right now

by starkidpatronus



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Boys In Love, Candles, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, One Shot, POV Third Person, POV Third Person Limited, Romance, Roses, Valentine's Day Fanworks Exchange, Valentine's Day Fanworks Exchange 2019, Valentine's Day Fic Exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 07:35:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17803766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkidpatronus/pseuds/starkidpatronus
Summary: Liam just wants the evening to be perfect.





	so let's start right now

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Crazy4LiamPayne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazy4LiamPayne/gifts).



> Firstly, shoutout to quietzap on tumblr for being such a lovely, helpful beta on this fic!!
> 
> I wrote this fic for Crazy4LiamPayne for theziamclub's Valentine's Day Exchange this year. To Crazy4LiamPayne, I really hope you enjoy this!!
> 
> Title is taken from One Direction's "Perfect."
> 
> I can't think of anything that needs specific tagging, but let me know if you want something tagged. Hope you like it! <3

“You’re sure this isn’t just a bit excessive, mate?” Niall asks as Liam sets the last candle.

“Quite sure, thanks,” Liam says a little testily, angling the candle just so. He steps back so that he’s standing next to Niall, both of them taking in the room. “What do you think?”

“I mean it’s certainly—extravagant.”

Niall’s right about the extravagance, and Liam couldn’t be happier about that. Every surface of the living room has either a bouquet of roses on it or is covered with candles. Some of the bouquets are red, some are pink, and some are a mix. (They’d debated the placement of each about twenty times over.) Twinkling lights are hanging from the ceiling in a diagonal pattern. Logs are resting in the fireplace, ready to be set ablaze for the big moment.

“It’s perfect,” Liam declares. “Which is exactly what he deserves.”

He can see that Niall fights the urge to roll his eyes then, but can also see that he is hiding a smile behind his hand. “Yeah well,” Niall says, looking at his watch, “that perfect man is going to be here in about an hour and half, so you probably want to start getting yourself ready.”

“Yes, of course,” Liam agrees, remembering that he wants to wear a tux for this evening and that that’s going to be its own separate ordeal. Hell, he still has to take a _shower_. He grins at Niall. “Well, uh—thanks a bunch for your help, man.”

“’Course,” Niall says agreeably, pulling Liam in for a hug. “Always here for you, Payno.”

Liam takes a breath into the hug, nerves suddenly shooting up through him. Apparently sensing this, Niall says as he pulls away, “You’ve got this, all right? There’s no need to worry.” When Liam nods mutely, Niall offers him a smile and says, “Good luck, Li. Call me after, all right?”

“Will do,” Liam confirms, walking Niall to the door.

He says goodbye, then walks through the front door, leaving Liam alone with his thoughts. His incredibly anxious thoughts.

Well, that is, his thoughts and about a hundred candles.

***

Liam takes the quickest shower of his life. Of course, he takes the time to shampoo and condition his hair; he’s never done anything majorly important without washing his hair first. And tonight is certainly majorly important.

While getting into his tux, he can’t stop his mind from creating horrifying what-if scenarios. All of them feature Zayn saying no. Usually, he’s kind about it, but there are a few in which he’s cruel. One where he tells Liam he hates him. Another where he laughs in Liam’s face. That one’s the worst.

“Snap out of it,” he tells himself as he puts on his emerald green cufflinks. Sliding on his Cartier bracelet, he says, “You have no reason to think he’ll say no. Just calm down.”

But oh, if only it were that simple.

He calls Louis ten minutes later in a panic. Combing his hair, he listens to Louis’s annoyed yet reassuring voice coming through the speaker. “For God’s sake, Payno,” Louis is saying. “The boy’s been mad about you since the day you two met. Why on _earth_ would he say no?”

“Maybe he’s reconsidered since then,” Liam argues, voice shaking.

He can _hear_ Louis roll his eyes. “Yeah, that’s why he’s been with you for the past five years. He’s just been weighing his options, obviously.”

Liam sighs. “All right, maybe I’m being a bit silly.”

“A _bit?_ ” Louis challenges. “Mate, I love you, but you’re being an absolute idiot. Just ask him already so I can stop worrying that I’m going to tell him by accident!”

“All right, all right,” Liam says. “Call off the dogs; I’m doing it when he gets home. You know that.”

“Just want to make sure of that,” Louis proclaims. “Now, I’m going to have some dinner. You, stop worrying.” A pause so long, Liam thinks Louis’s hung up, before Louis adds, “And good luck tonight.” With that, Liam hears a little tone signaling that Louis has actually hung up this time.

***

“Babe, I’m home!” Zayn calls out as he enters the house. He shucks off his shoes and heads toward the living room, where Liam usually can be found lounging at the end of the day. “Listen, I was thinking of trying a new recipe tonight—”

He stops dead when he reaches the room.

All the lights are turned off. A fire in roaring in the fireplace. Lights twinkle above his head like constellations. Roses and candles cover every surface except the sofas. Red roses. Exquisite roses. And standing by the fireplace is Liam, dressed in an immaculate tux, smiling softly at Zayn.

Before Liam can say anything, Zayn blurts out, “Is it our anniversary? Did I forget? ‘Cause I’m _so sorry_ if I forgot—”

Liam chuckles, slowly making his way over to where Zayn is standing on the threshold. “No,” he answers gently.

“Is it Valentine’s Day?”

“No,” he repeats, still looking at Zayn like he is the most precious thing in the world. “It’s a perfectly ordinary day.”

“Then what’s all this about?” Zayn asks, _has_ to ask, even though he feels like he knows, because what else could this possibly be—

“Come and sit down,” Liam urges, taking Zayn’s hand and leading him to the sofa. Numbly, Zayn takes a seat, a slight shiver going through his body. Liam stands a few feet in front of Zayn, takes a deep breath, and clear his throat. “I love you. You know that, of course. But…I sometimes feel like you don’t know just how much I love you. All this,” Liam pauses, gesturing to encompass the whole room, “is an attempt to show you a fraction of what I feel for you.”

“’S beautiful,” Zayn murmurs, his eyes still trained on Liam.

“You’re beautiful,” Liam counters. Zayn tries to fight his blush, but his cheeks burn as he looks determinedly back at Liam. Liam just continues to smile softly, saying, “I know this whole set-up doesn’t come close to you. And I also know that nothing I ever create will ever come close to how incredible you are. How you make me feel. But I wanted to try. And I want to keep trying for the rest of our lives.”

Zayn sucks in a breath, because there it is, this is it, this is _the moment_. Suddenly parched, Zayn swallows and attempts to keep his breathing as even as possible. He doesn’t want Liam to know he’s expecting something. Which is a little silly, because it’s obvious what Liam is doing, but still, Zayn wants to maintain the charade. Zayn catches the look in Liam’s eye that says he knows that Zayn knows, knows they’re playing a little game here, and is grateful that Zayn is willing to play along.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” Liam murmurs, gazing at Zayn like he never wants to look away. Zayn knows the feeling. “It’s like I look at you and—everything makes sense. You’re pretty much my North Star.”

“Li,” Zayn says, his voice cracking on the syllable. He doesn’t know what else to say.

“I was so lost before I found you,” Liam keeps on, “and now that I have you, I never want to lose you. Ever. You make my life complete. With everything you are. I am in awe of you daily and if you let me, I want to follow you forever. And so,” Liam says, finally getting down on one knee and pulling out a small velvet box. He opens it, smiling broadly, to reveal a diamond catching all the light from the candles and fire. “Zayn Javadd Malik, will you do me the greatest honor; will you marry me?”

“Well let me think about it,” Zayn breathes before grabbing Liam by the back of the neck and kissing him with fire. For a moment, it’s harsh and inelegant, all heat and passion. Then, they settle into it, as they often do, their lips pushing and pulling like the calm currents of a stream. When they pull away, they stay close, grinning and chuckling a little.

“So,” Liam says, holding up the ring between them, “can I take that as a yes?”

Zayn holds out his hand for the ring, saying, “Give me one-to-two business days to get back to you on that,” even as Liam slides the ring on Zayn’s finger with a fond little laugh.

With a relieved sigh, Liam tips their foreheads together. “You have no idea how long I worked on all this,” he states, but there’s no resentment there. “I wanted to get it absolutely perfect.”

Zayn smiles, gives Liam a light kiss, and declares, “You did.”

They fall into a hug, each wrapping his arms around the other. Zayn nuzzles his head into the crook of Liam’s shoulder, then opens one eye to look at the diamond on his finger. It’s still catching every light in the room, so it’s as if Zayn can see Liam’s whole grand romantic gesture compressed into one little stone. He takes a deep breath.

Absolutely perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading!! If you enjoyed, please leave kudos and a comment! If you have any questions or requests, I can be reached at thewriternotthemuse.tumblr.com. <3


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